Kyushu Railway
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| Locale | Kyushu, Japan |
|---|---|
| Dates of operation | 1889–1907 |
| Successor | Japanese Government Railways |
| Track gauge | 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) |
| Length | 442.8 miles (1907) |
| Headquarters | Moji, Fukuoka |
Kyushu Railway (九州鉄道 Kyūshū Tetsudō?) was a company that built and operated railways in Kyushu, one of four main islands of Japan. Most of its lines came under the control of Japanese Government Railways following nationalization in 1907, and many are now operated by Kyushu Railway Company.
The company was incorporated on August 15, 1888 in Fukuoka, Fukuoka. The first 22 miles (35 km) of the railway, between Hakata Station in Fukuoka and Chitosegawa temporary station in Asahi, Saga (near Kurume, Fukuoka), opened on December 11, 1889 as the first railway in Kyushu.
The company expanded the railway by means of both construction and acquisition of other companies. As of 1907, it operated 442.8 miles (712.6 km) of railways in Fukuoka, Kumamoto, Nagasaki, Ōita and Saga prefectures in northern Kyushu.
On July 1, 1907, the entire operation of the company was purchased by the government of Japan under the Railway Nationalization Act. Consequently, the company was dissolved.
A special coach made by German car manufacturer was imported by Kyushu Railway for VIP use in 1891. The coach was improved and designated as the imperial coach in 1902 for use by Emperor Meiji when he visited an army drill in Kumamoto Prefecture. After the nationalization, the coach was called the imperial coach No. 2 but was not used again by the emperor. It was designated a railway heritage (鉄道記念物 tetsudō kinenbutsu?) in 1963 and is now exhibited at the Railway Museum in Saitama.
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